GOAL: Sergio Aguero nets the winner for City in the last minute [GETTY]

The Argentina ace scored a stunning hat-trick last night, including a winner in the first minute of added-time, to keep City on course for the KO stage of the Champions League.

Up until the 85th minute it had looked like Aguero’s fellow South American Pellegrini was going from Bayern Munich to buying time.

His job looked in deeper doubt as City, despite playing against ten men from the 21st minute, went from 1-0 up to 2-1 down and once again seemed incapable of curing their European inferiority complex.

But Aguero is made of sterner stuff and struck with those two late goals which mean City can now earn a scoring draw at Roma in a fortnight and still go through from Group E.

BACK: Sergio Aguero completed his vital hat-trick in style [GETTY]

Aguero, 26, who won the title for City with that last-ditch goal in 2012, ought to have a statue in his honour at The Etihad already.

City have earned five points with two draws and a win, and of the six goals scored in those three game, the little striker has bagged five!

It seemed last night that City were wracked with the usual self-doubts they have when they play in Europe’s top club competition.

Losing centreback Medhi Benatia - ironically a City target from Roma this summer - in the 21st minute, followed by Sergio Aguero scoring from the spot a minute later, should have demoralised Pep Guardiola’s Bayern and lifted City.

But these are not two typical clubs and the club nicknamed ‘FC Hollywood’ soon showed they could perform missinmg a member of their cast.

SCARE: Bayern had gone 2-1 up despite being down to ten [GETTY]

They scored twice, through Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski, to go into the break ahead.

Guardiola saw his team go down to ten men Frank Lampard lofted a first-time ball over the top of the Germans’ backline. The team who arrived having conceded just three goals in their previous 15 games suddenly looked exposed.

Aguero was away and bursting in on goal and as he surged into penalty area Medhi Benatia lunged in, knocking into his left leg.

After consulting with his assistant, ref Pavel Kralovec pointed to the spot and sent off the Moroccan centreback.

The Argentina ace took the 22nd minute spot-kick himself driving it powerfully into the left corner of Manuel Neuer’s goal.

RED: Bayern went down to ten men when Mehdi Benatia was sent off for a tackle on Aguero [GETTY]

But in the 40th minute Bayern equalised after Eliaquim Mangala fouled Robert Lewandowski on the edge of the box.

Xabi Alonso took the free kick and with Rafinha muscling an opening by leaning into Aguero, the ex-Liverpool ace simply sidefooted low past the blockade and in to the left of a stranded Joe Hart.

Worse was to come in the 45th minute when Jerome Boateng’s cross from the right saw Lewandowski nip in behind Vincent Kompany and shrug off Bacary Sagna to send a header looping over Hart.

City started the second-half as if shellshocked, Franck Ribery being given the time to tee up Alonso, who curled a shot over.

[STAR: Xabi Alonso smashes in a fine free kick]

GOAL: Sergio Aguero celebrates his first goal [GETTY]

But then ex-Liverpool and Barcelona Alonso, on his 33rd birthday, saw his night spoilt. He gifted a ball to substitute Stevan Jovetic who sent Aguero through and he clipped past Neuer and inside the far post.

Another substitute, Pablo Zabaleta, was instrumental in the winner. He sent in a deep ball from the right, Lampard nodded it on and former City defender Jerome Boateng failed to clear.

Clean through Aguero was never going to miss - and he slid home with the confidence so many of his team-mates had been missing.